IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

Re: Launch of WHC Haiku Magazine, "World Haiku Review"®

http://www.worldhaikureview.org

Dear Members,

We are pleased to announce the creation of a new world-wide haiku magazine by the World Haiku Club for its members and for those who share our aims and aspirations in all corners of the earth. This publication will be based on a completely new concept in aims, scale and scope and initially issued on the Internet. Called "World Haiku Review", this on-line magazine will be the organ of WHC and as such will be comprehensive in coverage and large-scale in size, embodying WHC's philosophy. In particular, the magazine will, as a broad church, celebrate and encourage diversity, individualism and local initiatives in haiku, and promote useful exchanges of different views held by different schools of thought and individuals. "World Haiku Review" will also be a champion of beginners, the relatively obscure and the young, as well as aiming to be a fertile ground for the established and seasoned poets for whom it will be a centre of excellence and a place to further improve their craft. Moreover, the new magazine will stimulate innovations in haiku and haiku-related genres, while upholding lasting values and spirit of its long tradition. On all levels of competence and experience of the member poets, "World Haiku Review" will aim at the highest standards and quality. The focus of the magazine is on our future, while respecting and studying the past. Initially, the magazine will be published quarterly.

Contemporary haiku is enjoying unprecedented prosperity and popularity. However, it is also in a state of flux and confusion. "World Haiku Review" will address all key issues of haiku today in addition to providing an ideal outlet for Members' oeuvre. In so doing, the magazine will carry on the two main themes of the World Haiku Festival, "Challenging Conventions" and "Charting Our Future". It will re-examine all these issues in depth and give them critical reappraisal. It is therefore not the place for the faint-hearted or prejudiced. It is, however, for all those open-hearted and genuine lovers of haiku. "World Haiku Review"® will treat readers and contributors fundamentally on an individual basis, although they will enjoy benefits from WHC's friendly relationships with numerous haiku and other organisations in the world.

We will be issuing calls for submissions which will include the various categories and genres of works currently produced and discussed on WHC's mailing lists. It is our hope to have the first prototype issue ready in time for "Epilogue to WHF2000 - Advent of JAPAN2001," which are our celebrations of the World Haiku Festival and WHC. These events will be taking place in London this coming May. With your help, we can reach this goal. We hope that our new world-wide haiku magazine will make a vital contribution to the celebration and development of the world haiku movement. It is a gift from WHC's Editorial Team to you, our Members, and to the haiku community at large. We hope you will enjoy it when it is delivered to you.

With very best wishes,

Susumu Takiguchi
Chairman, The World Haiku Club
Managing Editor, World Haiku Review®

Debi Bender
Development Advisor,  The World Haiku Club
Editor-in-Chief, World Haiku Review®

And the Editorial Team, World Haiku Review®

World Haiku Review®